One type of conventional assembly for clamping a workpiece and lifting the workpiece from a work surface includes a clamping mechanism and a separate lifting mechanism. The clamping mechanism generally includes a pair of clamp arms pivotally supported by a frame. Each clamp arm has an end for engaging the workpiece and is supported by the frame for pivotal movement about a pivot axis. A drive mechanism, such as a pneumatically driven piston, is operatively connected to the clamp arms through a link assembly to cause pivotal movement of the clamp aims between a clamped position, in which the clamp alms clampingly engage the workpiece, and an unclamped position.
The separate lifting mechanism is provided to lift the clamping mechanism while the workpiece is clamped. The workpiece is thereby lifted from the work surface so that, for example, the workpiece can be moved to another work surface. The lifting mechanism is generally operable between a lifted position and a non-lifted position.